About Civil Services

About UPSC Civil Services Examination

UPSC Civil Services examination is an annual examination conducted by Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) for purpose of selecting candidates for most coveted posts of IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS and other Group A services.

Examination Pattern of UPSC Civil Services Examination:

Eligibility Conditions for UPSC Civil Services Examination:

Following table gives a concise summary of eligibility for UPSC Civil Services Examination:

(i) Nationality

For IAS & IPS – Indian Citizenship

For other services – Citizen of India/Nepal/Bhutan/Tibetan refugee/Person of Indian origin migrated to India with specified conditions. For citizenship other than India – Certificate of Eligibility to be issued by Government of India.

(ii) Age Limits

In General – Minimum Age is 21 years & Maximum Age is 32 years as on 1st of August of year of exam.

(i) Nationality (1) For the Indian Administrative Service and the Indian Police Service, a candidate must be a citizen of India. (2) For other services, a candidate must be either:— (a) a citizen of India, or (b) a subject of Nepal, or (c) a subject of Bhutan, or (d) a Tibetan refugee who came over to India before 1st January, 1962 with the intention of permanently settling in India, or (e) a person of Indian origin who has migrated from Pakistan, Burma, Sri Lanka, East African countries of Kenya, Uganda, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Zaire, Ethiopia and Vietnam with the intention of permanently settling in India. Provided that a candidate belonging to categories (b), (c), (d) and (e) shall be a person in whose favour a certificate of eligibility has been issued by the Government of India.

(ii) Age Limits: (a) A candidate must have attained the age of 21 years and must not have attained the age of 32 years on the 1st of August of year of exam. Necessary action to make corresponding changes in respective Rules/Regulations pertaining to various services is being taken separately. (b) The upper age-limit prescribed above will be relaxable: (i) up to a maximum of five years if a candidate belongs to a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe; (ii) up to a maximum of three years in the case of candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates; (iii) up to a maximum of five years if a candidate had ordinarily been domiciled in the State of Jammu and Kashmir during the period from the 1st January, 1980 to the 31st day of December, 1989; (iv) up to a maximum of three years in the case of Defence Services Personnel, disabled in operations during hostilities with any foreign country or in a disturbed area and released as a consequence thereof; (v) up to a maximum of five years in the case of ex-servicemen including Commissioned Officers and ECOs/SSCOs who have rendered at least five years Military Service as on 1st August of year of exam and have been released; (a) on completion of assignment (including those whose assignment is due to be completed within one year from 1st August of year of exam otherwise than by way of dismissal or discharge on account of misconduct or inefficiency; or (b) on account of physical disability attributable to Military Service; or (c) on invalidment. (vi) up to a maximum of five years in the case of ECOs/SSCOs who have completed an initial period of assignment of five years of Military Service as on 1st August of year of exam and whose assignment has been extended beyond five years and in whose case the Ministry of Defence issues a certificate that they can apply for civil employment and that they will be released on three months’ notice on selection from the date of receipt of offer of appointment. (vii) up to a maximum of 10 years in the case of blind, Hearing Impaired and Orthopaedically handicapped persons.

(iii) Minimum Educational Qualifications :

The candidate must hold a degree of any of Universities incorporated by an Act of the Central or State Legislature in India or other educational institutions established by an Act of Parliament or declared to be deemed as a University Under Section-3 of the University Grants Commission Act, 1956, or possess an equivalent qualification.

Candidates who have appeared at an examination the passing of which would render them educationally qualified for the Commission’s examination but have not been informed of the results as also the candidates who intend to appear at such a qualifying examination will also be eligible for admission to the Preliminary Examination.

(iv) Number of attempts:

Every candidate appearing at the examination who is otherwise eligible, shall be permitted six attempts at the examination. Provided that this restriction on the number of attempts will not apply in the case of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes candidates who are otherwise eligible. Provided further that the number of attempts permissible to candidates belonging to Other Backward Classes, who are otherwise eligible shall be nine. The relaxation will be available to the candidates who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.

Provided further that a physically handicapped will get as many attempts as are available to other non-physically handicapped candidates of his or her community, subject to the condition that a physically handicapped candidate belonging to the General Category shall be eligible for nine attempts. Necessary action to make Corresponding Changes in respective Rules/Regulations Pertaining to various services is being taken separately. The relaxation will be available to the physically handicapped candidates who are eligible to avail of reservation applicable to such candidates.